The work environment is more about collaboration and becoming a place of engagement and information exchange and less about solo work, so how do we control all the noise?

Throughout my years of experience as an Interior Designer, I have often referred to the industry’s “ABC Rule” of noise remediation. 

Absorbing, Blocking and Covering is the principal method used by professionals to achieve effective acoustics.

The most common and easiest to fix is Absorbing and Blocking:

• Absorbing: Materials      that help Suspended ceiling, sound absorptive panels or vertical baffles      to help with the noise reduction and containing sounds.  Workstation panels should be absorptive-      at least on one side- in order to reduce the volume of the occupant’s      voice before it is reflected into the space. Soft Flooring materials can      help with “traffic noise”
• Blocking: Height of      workstation panels is essential they really should be taller than the      seated head height.
• Covering:  Comfort, Control and Confidentiality.

Elements involved in providing noise control, just like temperature control there is a comfort zone for the volume of sound and it is not zero!  If there is no noise then conversations and noises can easily be heard even from a distance.

Covering noise refers to the use of a sound masking system. A masking system can dramatically reduce the distance that voices can be heard and increase speech privacy.

Your voice can carry on average 40 feet without masking and only 20 feet with masking (every environment will differ a little depending on the entire building envelope.)

Covering could be the most important aspect that is overlooked according to the most recent findings by GSA’s workplace 20-20 Research Program.  Go to http://www.gsasoundmatters.com/ to see more current information about how a government agency is trying to be more responsible in the lowering of panels and how they are looking at levels of speech privacy and noise control.

Herman Miller developed “Quiet Technology” for their Resolve system (which is the office furniture system we have located in our Indianapolis office) which makes speech beyond a 12-to-16 foot radius unintelligible.

If the “ABC Rule”is applied correctly the acoustics will enhance the overall experience of people working in open-plan environments  improving concentration and increase their ability to focus on tasks, so they’re more productive!

Did you know that you can still own a part of Super Bowl XLVI?

For all those that put it off until the hype was over, the People For Urban Progress is offering you a chance to own a piece of the Super Bowl.  These items came from Super Bowl vinyl banners, fence wrap and fabric mesh.  And The People For Urban Progress is a not-for-profit organization that helps promote urban design, public transportation and environmental awareness in our area.  Or a do-tank!

 These items went up for sale on April 6, 2012. But it is not too late to still own a part of history.  They had over 5 miles of Super Bowl signage to repurpose. According to Amy Crook, Development Innovator for PUP, “Our new Super Bowl items are of course in high demand as we continue to fill our retailer’s orders.”  And “We are about a mile into 5 miles of Super Bowl fabric.” Some of the items for purchase are wallets, shower curtains and beach bags. Items sale for  $40.00 and $45.00 each. And all are available through the People For Urban Progress at 1043 Virginia Avenue, Suite 213 in the Murphy Building and the Outpost Indianapolis Local Apparel at 1101 Woodlawn Avenue, just off The Indianapolis Cultural Trail.

Wow, how the world has changed!  Technological advances have come so fast that it is hard to keep up with everything.  Recently, I have come across many blogs and promotions for apps relating to the Interior Design profession.  But where do we start? 

One of the most interesting apps I found was called MagicPlan by Sensopia.  Basically, you take a few pictures around a room and MagicPlan measures the size of that room, draws a floor plan of the space and it is able to export in several different file formats (DXF, PDF, JPEG or publish an interactive floor plan on the web).  I downloaded this app (which is free by the way!) and tested it out on a small room.  It was amazing!  The only thing I found difficult was holding the phone still enough to capture each corner of the room.  But once I got to the end it showed me a picture of the floor plan and asked if I approved.  I hit “No” because of a crooked wall and it fixed it automatically!  It even showed “problem” points around the room (along with an actual image) and provided tips on how to correct it.  I still have more experimenting to do with this but it seems like a “must-have” app!

I few other apps worth mentioning are AutoCAD WS and Sketchbook by Autodesk.  AutoCAD WS allows you to view, edit and share DWG files with anyone, anywhere.   Sketchbook offers a ‘professional-grade paint and drawing application’ for quick napkin sketches and doodling.   Both of these could prove to be very beneficial for on the fly meetings with clients outside of the office.

There are endless apps for designers, but these were just a few that I came across that I wanted to share.  I would love to hear what apps you are using and finding beneficial. 

I ask this question from a new perspective today because I have notice (most recently) several mainstream publications with printed stories and articles featuring the subject of “design”.

For example; Inc. Magazines recent April publication featured a story called “Design that makes a Difference; How I did it.”  In the article Architect David Rockwell explains how he thinks not only about a building, but also about the way people experience it.”

Another article that inspired me was in the WSJ’s Weekend Edition April 27^th; “Crafting Chairs for How We Sit Now”.  A telling story about one of America’s best known furniture designers, Brian Kane, a well-known authority in the design industry on public furniture design.  You’ll find Brian’s chairs, lounges, benches and sofas scattered around dorms, airports, hospitals and other public spaces.   The photo shown to the left is one of Brian’s creations, the Swoop Lounge  designed for Herman Miller.  Having noted the sprawling behavior of students, he created upholstered chairs with arm rests curved to discourage one from setting a Coke can on the upholstery. There are few seams, for better cleanability and the design allows one to flop however they like while deliberately excluding long flat surfaces that would encourage napping.

And the most exciting, mainly because it is from a local source, our own IBJ (Indianapolis Business Journal).  This piece published in the April 30-May 6, 2012 IBJ, featured a newly renovated lower level library space for the IUPUI Honors College.  I would have provided a link to this article but IBJ is a bit stingy.

The common theme of these most recent publications; design is not just how we think about buildings or about the stuff we fill them with, design is more about how we experience it.   It’s exciting to see this perspective of design making its way into mainstream media.

Photo courtesy of Herman Miller – Swoop Lounge:

Every year, for Earth Day, I try to adopt one new habit that will help reduce my footprint on this planet. Ideally, this new practice is something that I will carry forward with me throughout my life, not just a one-time action. Over the years, I’ve found some new habits don’t stick as well as others. For instance, one year, I decided to solely purchase second-hand (or “vintage”) apparel or clothing made from organic cotton made in the USA. This worked for about a couple of months, or until I found myself at the mall drooling over a cute new dress or pair of shoes, and did not have the self-discipline to say “no”. However, there has been several, more successful energy-saving, eco-friendly habits that I would like to share with you.

1. If you live in Indianapolis, sign up for IPL’s 100% Green Power Option. You can opt to receive 100% of your home or business electricity to be sourced from renewable energy. If you don’t live in Indy, ask your electric company to provide this service. If you ask for it, companies will listen.
2. If you’re addicted to coffee (like I am), commit to only using reusable coffee mugs. You’ll save a gazillion disposable cups over your lifetime.
3. Whether at work or at home, always print your documents double-sided. The paper has two sides for a reason. If you want to one-up yourself, be sure to purchase paper with a high recycled content.
4. Try to have a paperless home (notice I said “try”). This means using cloth towels instead of paper towels, cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, and purchasing recycled content paper goods, like toilet paper. I know I’ll never be able to achieve 100% paperless with two dogs and a cat at home, but I try my hardest!

If some of these items are a no-brainer for you, I’d love to hear some of the practices you’ve adopted as well. Please feel free to share any ideas or habits that you’ve found helpful in becoming a better steward of our environment!

Harvard University recently completed a two-year renovation of its Sherman Fairchild Building.  The renovation received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Commercial Interiors Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  The project tied with a project in Hong Kong for the highest number of LEED-CI points achieved by any project in the world.

The tie for highest achieved points in and of itself is an achievement deserving recognition.  The fact the Sherman Fairchild Building is a laboratory building makes it all the more remarkable. Laboratory buildings are notorious for being energy hogs and research labs are resource intensive.

So how did Harvard accomplish this feat?

Harvard developed their Green Building Standards in 2009 and The Sherman Fairchild Building is the first project to utilize the standards.

Harvard’s Green Building Standards help guide projects in the areas of Integrated Design, Life Cycle Costing, Energy Modeling, Meter/Sub-metering, LEED Certification & Harvard Specific Credits, and Closeout Documentation & O&M Readiness.  The Standard provides guidelines for minimal levels for different types of projects from new buildings all the way down to limited scope projects.

Some of the specifics to achieve their certification for this project:

• Internal heat shift chiller to capture heat to redeploy heat to other parts of the building
• Reduced overhead lighting, LED task lighting at benches, occupancy sensors to control air and lighting
• Extensive use of active chilled beams and reduced air changes during unoccupied periods
• Recapture grey water for toilet flushing and low-flow fixtures to reduce water use by 42% below code maximums
• Sub-metering by floor and comprehensive measurement/verification plan
• High performance fume hoods installed in the labs include occupancy sensors to shut the sash when not being used, fume hood layout is limited so the exhaust doesn’t exceed minimum ventilation 1 cfm/sf
• Lower air change rates during unoccupied hours
• Solar exposure is controlled by separate control zones, thermostats and lighting tie into sensors that monitor occupancy
• 90% of occupied spaces have access to daylight and views

Now that the residents have a LEED certified building to work in they are trying to work more sustainably in that building also.

The Lab-Oriented Environment Competition  pits floors against one another to see which one will create the most sustainable habits.  Criteria in the competition includes: proper recycling procedures, ensuring freezers have minimal ice build on shelves and gaskets, keeping fume hoods closed, turning off lighting and bench-top appliance when not in use.  The winners are recognized at the Harvard’s Green Carpet Awards.

The plastics-to-glass lab supplies program is designed to change usage habits.  Changing from plastic to glass saved the Biology Department $9500 in the first seven months.  Even better it saved 2600 plastic bottles from entering the landfill.

The Freezer Maintenance Program focuses attention on the freezers found in labs to achieve energy savings.  Not only are the freezers maintained on a more regular basis, but samples are inventoried and purged on a more timely basis.

Harvard has decided to take the lead in developing projects with sustainability in mind.  The Sherman Fairchild Building achieved its LEED Platinum certification at the same time as another project was registered as  Harvard’s 100^th LEED green building project.  Is it a sign of things to come that this project is also a laboratory?

The office environment of today is very different from the office environment of 10 years ago and will continue to evolve over the next ten years. What is behind the transition and how should corporations adapt for it?

A recent study ‘From Conventional to Collaborative’ conducted by Herman Miller Performance Environments revealed the following:

• Private offices sit empty 75% of the time.
• Traditional workstations sit empty 60% of the time.
• Large Conference rooms are rarely filled to capacity, four out five seats sit empty.
• 30% of an individual’s work was collaborative in 1985; by 2010 80% of work was collaborative.

The study states that the transition is driven in four key areas:

• Complexity of tasks requiring input from more than one specialist. Highly specialized knowledge workers need to blend their skills with others to produce complex results.
• Speed of technology drives demands for outputs to be delivered in shorter time frames.  Teaming is often the best way to meet the demand of time.
• Insight or the wisdom of a pack outweighs the performance of the individual in a new axiom of “more heads are better than one.”
• Mobility created by Technology has freed knowledge workers to seek out different environments. The office is not just a place to work it is a space for collaboration.

Rob Larsen and Shawn Rush in ‘A Generation Ahead: Strategic Real Estate planning Guide for Tomorrow’s Work Force’ identify additional drivers that impact real estate strategic plans:

• Changing Demographics in the Workplace brings together four generations of workers; the baby Boomers, Gen-X, Gen-Y and the Millennials. Conventional is structured towards Baby Boomer expectations yet needs to acknowledge the younger generations.
• Productivity is the goal for knowledge workers and optimizing the work environment speeds economies of outcomes.
• Talent shortcomings will outlast the recession. Traditional work environments will not draw younger up and coming talent.
• Alignment of Space, Demographics and Corporate Culture will fulfill multi-generational expectations with flexible workspace that supports collaboration.

Corporations looking to maximize the efficiency of the workforce and real estate investments will need to upgrade their facilities for the future. Elements that support the trends include:

• Reduction of closed offices and large conference rooms. Mobility and flexibility require spaces that are unassigned or are bookable ‘just in time’ for impromptu meetings or concentrative work.
• Introduction of informal meeting places of various sizes and configurations at a ratio of one for every seven to ten headcount. Most gathering places will fall into the range of one on one, two to four or six to eight people. Additionally, these are open or soft wall spaces, with white boards, technology for sharing data and ideas and are easily rearranged by the users. Place these throughout the workspace to encourage collaboration.
• Provide smaller enclosed spaces for confidential discussions.
• Provide a larger social area around a break area for larger group meetings in community space. Include a long communal table for larger groups to gather.
• Downsize and mobilize workstations. Minimize the number of assigned seats and hold the footprint to 6’ x 6’ or 6’ x 7’. Social and collaboration areas will provide touchdown spots when blended with mobile and hotel stations.

Taking down the walls will save on real estate costs, drive higher levels of collaboration and improve worker satisfaction and productivity across generations and time.

IDO Incorporated is a full service Commercial Interior Design Firm that provides a variety of services, and helping clients select window treatments is just a very small part of what we do.

How do you select the perfect window treatment for your home?  As Interior Designers, we start with a list of questions to help narrow down the selection process.  For example:

1)  What are your needs for privacy?

a.       Window treatment products offer a range variety – from sheer to privacy and all degrees in between.

i.      You will see an example of an installation that we just finished this past week using a Hunter Douglas Silhouette product.  It features fabric vanes suspended between sheer fabric panels, rotates for varying degrees of privacy and light control allows you to see your view and at the same time provide privacy.  It comes manual and motorized.  On the installation we recently completed, we used motorized on the larger windows (that were more difficult to get to) and used the manual version over the sink.

2)  What are your needs for light control?

a.       Many window coverings go up and down and make all stops in between … this offering adds the option of being lowered from the top down, thus allowing light to enter a room while still providing privacy and offering maximum light control.

b.      There are Top-Down / Bottom-Up and TiltAnywhere™ options as well.  Products with either vertical or horizontal louvers, vanes or slats allow you to redirect the light to change the complexion of a room by rotating or tilting the louvers.

c.       Of course, how much light control you need depends upon what your room will be used for. For media rooms, Duette honeycomb shades in opaque fabrics with an aluminized polyester core provides total room darkening are an economical choice. These shades are available with PowerRise®, a battery powered remote control motorization, which can be integrated into home automation systems.

3)  Which direction does your window face? And what are your needs for UV-ray protection and energy efficiency?

a.        North-facing windows bring in the most even and consistent sunlight. It is also the coldest exposure, so for energy conservation, please make sure to use insulated shades (forthese windows), which will effectively trap air in the honeycomb cells.

i.      Incidentally, Duette (made by Hunter Douglas) has a triple honeycomb shade – which is the most energy efficient window  covering on the market today.

b.      South-facing windows receive sunlight year-round, casting a warm, and golden glow on interiors. Heat and UV rays in this consistent light will cause the most damage, so, choose products that can protect fabric and furniture from the sun’s harmful rays. Look for a “% UV blockage” rating. The higher a product’s rating, the better the your home’s interior will be protected from UV rays

c.       East-facing windows admit the most balanced or full-spectrum light, however, its brightness and clarity may render it warm, especially in the morning.

d.      West-facing windows are exposed to the hottest sunlight and also the haziest because by day’s end, there are so many impurities in the atmosphere. Many of the same treatments as south-facing windows are good selections here.

4)  Is noise a problem?
If your windows face a crowded street, then sound can be a problem – especially at night. It’s good to know that fabric window coverings can provide a solution.

5)  Do your windows open and, if so, do you open them often?
Some windows open up, some out and some in. Other slide from side to side.

a.       For windows or glass doors that slide open and shut, make sure to check for cranks and hardware when selecting your treatment.  If the window is used for ventilation, it is best to have treatments that stack off the window so that incoming breezes will not rattle or damage it.

6)  Is the window covering child-safe?
Particularly if you have young children or pets at home, safety is important. There are many options for this safety issue so make sure that you ask the right questions.  A great choice is the cordless lift system that allows shades or blinds to be raised and lowered with touch of a finger.

7)  What are the proportions of the room?

a.       The window treatment should be considered within the overall scale of the interior in terms of both height and size to maintain proper proportions. If, for example, the window is small in relation to the rest of the room, you may want to extend the covering to the edge of the window molding to make the window seem larger.

b.      For a window with an interesting architectural frame, place the covering within the frame so as not to obscure it.

c.       Also, for a room with a low ceiling, remember that vertical lines can enhance the height of a room.

   What colors do you prefer?

a.       Color intensifies as you increase areas of coverage.

i.       To visually expand a window or room, choose soft, light or cool colors such as lemon yellow, sea foam-green or sky blue.

ii.      Another hint: Coordinate the window coverings with the wall color, as low contrasts will keep the eye moving around the room

       iii.      Reverse the technique to make the window or room appear smaller and cozier by using dark, warm colors and high contrast between the window and wall.

iv.      Also remember what your window looks like from the outside.

v.      Always consider the effect pattern the window will have on the whole room.  Patterns can be surprisingly intense in large quantities, so proceed with caution.

vi.       Textures can be both

1.        casual (rough, nubby or earthy) or

2.        formal (smooth, elegant fabrics).

3.        Texture is particularly important at the window where sunlight penetrates the fabric or material. Always put the sample to be used in an application up to the window to judge the effect of light coming through it, as the texture will alter the diffusion of the light.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me for more guidance or selection for your situation.

For more information, contact Hunter Douglas at 1-800-937-STYLE (1-800-937-7895) or visit www.hunterdouglas.com.

As a proud graduate of Ball State University, I thought I would take this opportunity to share some innovative, economic cost saving and continuing educational news about my alma mater … 

As with all educational institutions, companies, and corporations, they all have key priorities and objectives … and Ball State University is certainly no exception to this norm.  In fact, the following two very important topics of interest have become top priority goals at Ball State University:

1.       Immersive learning

2.      Commitment to sustainability

The university is currently in the process of completing a project that brings these two concepts together. You may or may not be aware that Ball State is installing the largest ground-source heating and cooling, or geothermal system in the United States. The announcement of this initiative was made in May 2009, and Phase 1 of two phases is now complete; with many buildings on campus already being heated and cooled by geothermal energy. When Phase 2 is completed in the near future, all of Ball State’s coal-fired boilers will be shut down and all buildings will be run off of geothermal energy. If you are curious about what this change really means number-wise (like me), here are some statistics (information gathered from Ball State’s website):

-          2,300 jobs have been added with the installation of the geothermal system

-          Before the project began, coal usage was costing the university $10 million per year

-          85,000 tons of carbon output per year before the project began

-          $2 million in energy costs will be saved annually

-          BSU’s carbon footprint will be cut IN HALF once the project is completed

With regard to the immersive learning part of this project, when the project is complete, an entire building will be devoted to learning, open to students and the public. In addition, and as a supplemental benefit of this geothermal project, classes on campus are already using the project as course subject matter. What an impactful way to educate—and on a sustainable topic at that!

Way to go, BSU!!!

Photo courtesy of Ball State University

This video is the result of a competition, sponsored by NCIDQ, that was put on by IDEC (Interior Design Educators Council).  The video, produced by Radford University students, was awarded first place at the recent IDEC Conference.  It is a great tool for presenting the facts on what Interior Designers really do.

On April 16^th, the design community, and others, are coming together and working hard to make the video go viral.  Please help us in these efforts and join in!  Little by little we each can help educate the public and promote the profession of Interior Design!

Here are the directions (as posted by Natalie Mendez):

“On April 16th, we need everyone to “Like” it on YouTube, than “Link it” to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. “Share” it on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you do not tweet or have Facebook accounts please still “Like it” on YouTube.

Send an e-mail to as many people you think will participate. I have been told we “need to email it to friends and family (especially non-interior designers) using the YouTube “Share” function. Videos that go viral do so because the web gods are watching and they see a big spike in the links to and from a video. It also helps to concentrate all of this action in a 24-hour window. Spikes like that get attention” -Jeff Kenney.

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